In September 2018 Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler both came out and said there are too many Sydney teams, and they are right.
Like anyone criticising something they also came up with a solution. Fittler’s idea of a team from the Harbour Bridge to the Central Coast makes great sense, but Manly and Norths have tried working together before, and it didn’t work then, and is unlikely to work now.
Andrew Johns’ idea was good. Lift the salary cap to a figure that would put a strain on clubs, the strong would survive and the weak would die. Survival of the fittest.
Let’s however look at clubs that can shift out of Sydney.
The Sydney Roosters are going nowhere. Whilst Nick Politics is looking after the club they will remain strong. They’ve made seven grand finals since 2000 and won three. They know what they are doing.
Similarly while Russell Crowe is around, Souths must stay. Like Easts they were here at the start and should be here at the end, whenever that is.
Parramatta have a big junior base, a brand new ground and a big supporter base. Safe. Penrith is a similar story but just a bit further out west. Safe as a bank.
The Sutherland shire need a team and even though we’ve been to the moon five more times than they’ve done laps of honours, rugby league needs them. And what else do shire people do besides surfing and complaining? They also need rugby league.
Canterbury are fine. They’ve been strong for a long time and even though the last few years have been badly managed out at Belmore, they will get through it, though that bit isn’t exactly around the corner.
That leaves us with the two logical choices, the Wests Tigers and the St.George Illawarra Dragons.
The Dragons have the whole of the south coast at their mercy. Rugby league heartland. These people deserve better, not just a club that comes down to Wollongong six times a year.
This should be their permanent home. They are no longer needed in Sydney. Their presence in Australia’s largest city is only wanted by Dragons fans unwilling to travel to a new home.
The other team not needed in Sydney are the Wests Tigers. This year they will have three home grounds. They’ve had three home grounds for too long. A home in the inner west, Parramatta and Campbelltown just means they remain virtually homeless – and virtually soulless. Maccarthur deserve a team, and it’s time they got one.
The Wests Tigers have been a confused club for a long time. They are 75 per cent owned by Wests Ashfield and not Wests Campbelltown. Balmain went from the strong partner to the weak.
The Balmain dominance when the joint venture started has evaporated and now the Tigers don’t quite know what club they want to be or where they truly have come from. Their best option is to adopt a community, and the huge South West region of outer Sydney will embrace them if given a chance.
To reduce the amount of Sydney teams doesn’t reduce the problem of having 16 teams, where some teams play each other once, and others twice. This type of uneven competition is far from ideal, and borders on the ridiculous.
In the midst of a season, where the focus is normally on your next match, this gets lost. But each season some teams get softer runs than others, its just the way it is with competitions that are uneven, and it should not be the case. This is where Johns’ idea ultimately makes a huge amount of sense.
The movement of Sydney teams doesn’t need to be across the country to Perth. With two clubs a trip on the highway should be enough. To reward rugby league heartlands like the South Coast and the MacCathur areas, should always be on rugby league’s radar.
William W
Roar Rookie
Don’t discount the Rabbitohs, it is true that only about 22% of Members live in their own district due to the Housing Boom of the 70s and the subsequent bust of 1987 to 1991 causing many families to sell up and move Out West and South West and to the Central Coast and Newcastle but many families still support the Rabbitohs with Memberships and also Merchandise sales at the very least. True the Baby Boomer and their Gen X fans are ageing and departing us but there are plenty of Young Families with Children ready to replace us when it is our turn to pass on. Soon the Rabbitohs with the help of the Juniors Club at Kingsford and our Players pathways, we will soon kick the Roosters to the Central Coast permanently. Notice the CC Roosters in Matts, Ball and Flegg now.
Hazza
Guest
Maybe a club like the Roosters should lead by example they have no juniors , the snallers area the least fans and now with the demolition of Allianz no ground , the rocks in the NRL pool need to be changed there are a few who are too comfortable there .
William W
Roar Rookie
I doubt other clubs with Private Ownership has put in such safeguards. Manly, the Tigers or the Dragons do NOT have such safeguards so their members are at the mercy of their clubs Board. The Rabbitohs are NOT!
William W
Roar Rookie
The Missing point in your argument Sammy is that the Private owners Crowe and/or Packer have NO legal Authority to move the Rabbitohs from Sydney, change the name or the colours. Souths only have 1 bluechip share, if you know what a bluechip share is in reference to the corporate world you will know that it is a voting share. The Souths Members, “Member Company” own 25% of the Rabbitohs but this 1 share controls the Club. Not Packer or Crowe. This amendment or agreement was inserted into our agreement to give the Rabbitohs Members security and clarity in regards to future possible relocations OR Mergers! Crowe and Packer do own 37.5% each but they are considered Managerial shares, NOT Bluechip shares. The bottom line is that the “Members” would never ever vote to relocate the club out of Sydney. These are the Facts!
William W
Roar Rookie
Which Leagues club are you referring to duecer, Easts or Souths Juniors? Souths Juniors are many times richer than Easts at Spring Street. The Easts club is a Washing Machine, that is how the Rorts launder all their cash for TPAs.
William W
Roar Rookie
Your name Mitcher is also a "Fictional" Name.
William W
Roar Rookie
The bad weather did mate.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
What you call selling your soul is just a place in the National Rugby League for the people on the Illawarra line. The Cronulla-Sutherland bypass exists because of the loser clubs, especially your beloved rabbitohs, voting to cut St.George down to give them a chance of winning again.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Nothing will change the history of cutting St.George in half to give the other teams a chance of winning. The huge change in the rules in 67 also contributed with the new 4 tackle rule turning the game into a huge scrum farce. Souths were also lucky the top referee Col Pearce was a Souths fan.
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
yes!
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
disagree. look at the nfl nba models.. killing it
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
boom!
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
100000% correct
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
leagues club out of the way? its a walk from woolaware train station right beside the stadium...
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
survival of the fittest does not mean over a year or 2... try a decade
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
then the nrl get their thinking caps back on and make it even better based in the new demographics etc. If you're not moving forward your going backwards
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
WIN now big backers. Double the number if home games. city GROWING quick as footy precinct brilliant. great jnr base. It wd now kill it as stand alone
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
disagree with just abiut everything you said Sammy. only even there now because if uncle nick and the $ he brings. why logo on opera house? only $$$
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
i think 16 teams wd work. all play each other once then split ti top 8 and bottom 8. finals = 6 from top 8 division, 2 frim bottom 8 division. Every club stays motivated. Why wd a club aim up for top 8 division when the competition is going to be much tougher = 75% chance of finals vs 25% chance in division 2...bigger crowds etc. That wd make 15 first round games, 7 in divisions. 22 rounds reduces player fatigue and allows for a stand alone rep weekend... fk im good lol
CallmeDragon
Roar Rookie
yes you do, well depends in what u call successful - so many teams have low attendance, poor results year after year, financial inly keeping their head above water because of their leaguea club and nrl grant... Newtown and realistically tigs of late gorn. have a look thru the list of establishment clubs who got the flick over 100 years. changing demographics etc require change. NFL (they do alright) NBA (same) change locations not regularly but when needed eg seattle nba gorn. Raiders about to move to Las Vegas. LA rams, utah jazz (jazz coz they statted in new Orleans) Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis... love my tradition. Was at every dragons home game as a kid but demands of tv and professionalism of the league demands quality and $ and supporters and.... Im now in the gold coast and if i need a fix of old school i go watch burleigh bears.. off to watch tweed trial today